Top 7 Cheapest Taobao Agent Compared (Based on Real data)

You want a cheap Taobao agent.

The problem is, you don’t know where to start.

We did the research for you and compared the least expensive Taobao agents out there.

It’s important to be aware that the cheapest might not be the best value for you. check out our picks for best Taobao agents, which emphasize value over having the absolute lowest cost.

we will cover the following topics in this post:

  • which agent has the best exchange rate?
  • all the costs of using a Taobao agent.
  • 7 popular Taobao agent fees compared.

Which Taobao agent has the lowest shipping rate?

A large proportion of your Taobao shopping cost is from the international shipping fee. So finding the agent with the best shipping rate is an important part of successful Taobao shopping.

I put together shipping fee comparisons from popular Taobao agents.

It is an overview of what to expect from the major agents.

I hope it will help you find the cheapest ways and agents to ship packages from China.

Taobao agent USA shipping fee comparison

comparison for small, lightweight parcels(example weight: 1.3kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
EUB 147.00 RMB 157 RMB 138 RMB 163 RMB 232 RMB 142.55 RMB 160 RMB
SF-EXPRESS * * 187 RMB 202 RMB * *
E-express 235.5 RMB * * * *
EMS 224 RMB 187.5 RMB 210 RMB 243 RMB 252 RMB 222.5 RMB 239 RMB
DHL 207.00 RMB 193.5 RMB 214 RMB 190 RMB 305 RMB 193 RMB 218 RMB

comparison for Medium parcels(example weight: 8.3kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SF-EXPRESS 551 RMB 552 RMB
EMS 749 RMB 837
RMB
770 RMB 915 RMB 896 RMB 800 RMB 827 RMB
China Post Big Air Mail 973 RMB 1038 RMB 1031 RMB 867.56 RMB
China Post SAL 613 RMB 604 RMB 550 RMB 561.40 RMB 618 RMB
DHL 568 RMB 662 RMB 714 RMB 935 RMB 599 RMB 694 RMB

comparison for Large, Heavy parcels(example weight: 30kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SF-EXPRESS 1260 RMB  1627 RMB 
EMS 2361.50 RMB  2415 RMB  2874 RMB  2573.75 RMB 
China Post Big Air Mail 3242 RMB  3236 RMB
China Post SAL 1844 RMB  1739 RMB  1878 RMB
DHL 1891 RMB  2038 RMB  1448 RMB  2870 RMB 1620 RMB  2156 RMB 

Conclusion for taobao agent USA shipping rate

Well,in general,the cheapest taobao agent for USA is Cssbuy.They offer a competitive price for most of the shipping methods.

for small parcels, you can use EUB(epacket),the rate is cheapest and you can usually receive your parcel within 2 weeks.

for medium parcels, SF-EXPRESS and China Post SAL are good options.

SF-EXPRESS is faster and China Post SAL does not charge the volumetric weight which is good for large but lightweight parcels.

for heavy parcels, SF-EXPRESS and DHL are both acceptable.

UK Taobao agent shipping fee compared

comparison for small, lightweight parcels(example weight: 1.3kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
EUB 172 RMB 157 RMB 134 RMB 155 RMB 232 RMB 152.1 RMB 146.65 RMB
SAL 195 RMB 210 RMB 179 RMB 190 RMB 208 RMB
Tax-free line * 113 RMB 190 RMB 197 RMB
E-express 185 RMB 155 RMB 175 RMB
EMS 219 RMB 230 RMB 226 RMB 266 RMB 244.5 RMB 212 RMB
DHL 228 RMB 189 RMB 229 RMB 294 RMB 190 RMB

comparison for Medium parcels(example weight: 8.3kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SAL 566 RMB 620 RMB 544 RMB 586 RMB 876RMB 628 RMB
Tax-free line 680 RMB 743 RMB
E-express 745 RMB 555 RMB 595 RMB
EMS 744 RMB 455 RMB 790 RMB 800 RMB 896RMB 822 RMB 716 RMB
DHL 644 RMB 803 RMB 1078RMB 610 RMB

comparison for Large, Heavy parcels(example weight: 30kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SAL 1848 RMB 2661RMB 1888 RMB
Fedex 1210 RMB 1855 RMB 1560 RMB
E-express 2481 RMB 1897 RMB
EMS 2356.50 RMB 1367 RMB 2510 RMB 2563 RMB 2831RMB 2595.75 RMB 2,264 RMB
DHL 1917
RMB
1448 RMB 3486RMB 1620 RMB

Conclusion for taobao agent UK shipping rate

the cheapest taobao agent for UK is Cssbuy and Taobaotrends.

Cssbuy is cheap for small parcels and Taobaotrends has a better rate for large parcels.

Tax-free line and E-express are two of the low-cost shipping method to the UK.

Canada Taobao agent shipping rate

comparison for small, lightweight parcels(example weight: 1.3kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
EUB 152 RMB 155 RMB 113 RMB 152 RMB 232RMB 145.65 RMB 149.65 RMB
SAL 167 RMB 152 RMB 152.90 RMB 156 RMB 183 RMB
Tax-free line 152 RMB
E-express 220 RMB 210 RMB
EMS 227 RMB 220 RMB 204 RMB 228 RMB 266RMB 244.5 RMB 235 RMB
DHL 260 RMB 227
RMB
210 RMB 224 RMB 305RMB 220 RMB 250 RMB

comparison for Medium parcels(example weight: 8.3kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SAL 517 RMB 469 RMB 472.80 RMB 499.00 568 RMB
sf-express 551.00 RMB
china post big parcel 726 RMB 812 RMB 808 RMB
E-express 780 RMB 735.00 RMB
EMS 773 RMB 653 RMB 694.00 RMB 816.00 RMB 896 RMB 688 RMB 795.00 RMB
DHL 680 RMB 661 RMB 560.00 RMB 787.00 RMB 935 RMB 640 RMB 810.00 RMB

comparison for Large, Heavy parcels(example weight: 30kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SAL 1421 RMB 2488 RMB 1723 RMB
Fedex 1797 RMB 1440
RMB
E-express 2516.00 RMB
EMS 2450.00 RMB 1995 RMB 2199 RMB 2622.00 RMB 2831 RMB 1978 RMB
DHL 1810.00 RMB 1922 RMB 1635 RMB 1718.00 RMB 2870 RMB 1860 RMB 2530 RMB

Conclusion for taobao agent Canada shipping rate

Bhiner,Cssbuy and Taobaotrends have a good price for various shipping methods to Canada.

Bhiner is cheap for China post-SAL.

Cssbuy is cheap for EMS and DHL

Taobaotrends has a lower price for FedEx for large parcels.

Australia Taobao agent shipping rate

comparison for small, lightweight parcels(example weight: 1kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
EUB 140 RMB 111 RMB 116.00 RMB 130.00 RMB 181 RMB 125.1 RMB 119.20 RMB
SAL 151.80 RMB 144
RMB
133.00 RMB 125.00 RMB 148 RMB
E-express 165.50 RMB
EMS 174.00 RMB 148 RMB 150.00 RMB 141.00 RMB 184 RMB 153.75 RMB 154.50 RMB
DHL 215.00 RMB 177 RMB 176.00 RMB 168.00 RMB 270 RMB 180 RMB 207 RMB

comparison for Medium parcels(example weight: 10kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SAL 781.80 RMB 694 RMB 673.00 RMB 656.90 RMB 868 RMB 688 RMB
E-express 975.50 RMB
EMS 804.00 RMB 699 RMB 780.00 RMB 699.00 RMB 868 RMB 698.25 RMB 685.50 RMB
DHL 1115.00 RMB 1288 RMB 986.00 RMB 834.00 RMB 1620 RMB 900 RMB 1,053.00 RMB

comparison for Large, Heavy parcels(example weight: 30kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SAL 2408 RMB 1888 RMB
Fedex 2638 RMB 1800 RMB
E-express 2775.50 RMB
EMS 2204.00 RMB 1924 RMB 2388 RMB 1908.25 RMB
DHL 3115.00 RMB 2167 RMB 2786 RMB 1822.00 RMB 4620 RMB 1560 RMB 2,933.00 RMB

Conclusion for taobao agent Australia shipping rate

Superbuy offers the cheapest shipping rate for most of the shipping methods.

Ytaopal also has a good price for EUB and EMS.

Taobaotrends provides reasonable price for DHL for big parcels.

Philippines Taobao agent shipping rate

comparison for small, lightweight parcels(example weight: 1kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
Air mail 112.00 RMB 110 RMB 152 RMB 95.2 RMB 118.00 RMB
big mail 128.00 RMB 148
RMB
121.20 RMB
Fedex 120 RMB 170.00 RMB
Dpex 128.00 RMB 173 RMB
EMS 132.00 RMB 137 RMB 121.50 RMB 135.00 RMB 149 RMB 137.25 RMB 129.25 RMB
DHL 157.00 RMB 128 RMB 133.00 RMB 145.00 RMB 208 RMB 142 RMB 164.00 RMB

comparison for Medium parcels(example weight: 10kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
Fedex 480 RMB 728.00 RMB
big mail 488.00 RMB 501
RMB
440.70 RMB 502 RMB 876 RMB
EMS 636.00 RMB 364
RMB
526.50 RMB 639.00 RMB 635 RMB 424 RMB 574.75 RMB
DHL 787.00 RMB 775 RMB 637.00 RMB 613.00 RMB 1108 RMB 538 RMB 776.00 RMB

comparison for Large, Heavy parcels(example weight: 30kg)

Shipping method Basetao Bhiner Cssbuy Superbuy Taobaofocus Taobaotrends Ytaopal
SAL 1302 RMB 2628 RMB
Fedex 730.00 RMB 809 RMB 990 RMB 1,968.00 RMB
EMS 1756.00 RMB 868 RMB 1426.50 RMB 1759.00 RMB 1715 RMB 1064 RMB
DHL 2187.00 RMB 1239 RMB 1653.00 RMB 3108 RMB 1440 RMB 2136.00 RMB

Conclusion for taobao agent Philippines shipping rate

Taobaotrends has lower shipping rate in general.

Cssbuy has a better price for small parcels.

and for big parcels, both Basetao and Bhiner offers a cheaper rate for FedEx and DHL.

Which taobao agent has the best exchange rate?

Currency conversion loss is a hidden fee that most customers ignore,

Currency conversion loss happens when you topup on an agent’s website using a fixed USD to RMB exchange rate set by agent themself.

their USD to RMB exchange rate is always lower than the real live one which means you need to speed more USD to buy RMB.

For example,the current exchange rate(as of Oct 24th) on xe.com is 1 USD = 7.06 RMB

let’s see which agent has the lowest exchange rate compared to the live one:

Agent Exchange rate Conversion loss
Basetao 1 USD = 6.45 RMB 8.64%
Bhiner 1 USD = 6.67 RMB 5.52%
Cssbuy 1 USD = 6.85 RMB 2.97%
Superbuy 1 USD = 6.58 RMB 6.80%
Taobaofocus 1 USD = 6.54 RMB 7.37%
Taobaotrends 1 USD = 6.54 RMB 7.37%
Ytaopal 1 USD = 6.60 RMB 6.52%

from this table,we can see that cssbuy has the best exchange rate with nearly 3% loss(still very high!)

and other agents charge you a 5%-8% currency exchange loss.

it is a big one, why?

Because this is a % based fee,it charges you on every of your topup.

Some agents claim that they have a low or zero service fee,but they impose you shitty fees here.

all the actual costs involved to use a taobao agent

International shipping fees and currency conversion loss are not the only costs you need to take.

let’s take a closer look at the various fees that can impact the cost of using a taobao agent.

Essential costs

The essential costs are the expenses that you can’t avoid.

Item fee

The item price is shown on the product page.

Domestic shipping fee:

The fees of items are transported from Taobao seller’s location to the agent’s warehouse.

Domestic shipping fee varies by courier, parcel weight and the distance between seller and agent’s locations.

But this fee won’t cost you a lot because shipping within China is cheap!

And from the feedbacks I’ve learned before with the customers, even big orders (10+ wigs/shoes/bags) were only 10yuan~20yuan for each seller, since 98% of Taobao sellers combine shipping.

Buying multiple items from the same seller will save you a lot on domestic shipping.

Some sellers may offer free shipping and if you find any sellers offer free shipping, you can notify the agent before making the first payment.

then they will remove the domestic shipping fee for you manually.

Service fee:

Service fee,some agents call it the commission, is the money you need to pay for using their service.

Usually, agents take a certain percentage of the total items cost and domestic shipping fee as the service fee,the rate is between 5%-10%.

Some agents offer VIP program, you can get points every time you order from them, get upgraded to VIP and the service fee will be discounted.

International shipping fee:

International shipping costs are based on a combination of the following:

  • Weight and dimensions of the package.
  • Method of shipment such as EMS or DHL.
  • The location you are in(also called the destination country).

transaction fee:

Paypal transaction fee:4.4%+0.3 of total payment will be charged when the order is paid via PayPal.

Currency conversion loss:

As I said,it is also an important part of your cost when using a taobao agent.

with taobao direct,you can save this loss, as taobao only use live exchange rate.

Optional costs

The following are things that you can decide to pay for but aren’t totally unavoidable.

Storage fee

Agents start to calculate the storage time when your items arrived in their warehouse.you have a free storage time.

If your free storage time has run out and you still haven’t shipped your items, they will begin to charge you a storage fee.

Most of the agents don’t have a clear statement about this fee.

Yoybuy and Cssbuy have a free storage time of 90 days.

Customs fee

This fee varies by local Customs policies. In countries with a high rate of Customs clearance, you don’t have to pay any fees.

However, in countries with a low rate of Customs clearance such as Argentina, you may be required to pay tariffs.

To avoid the Customs fee,you can request your agent to declare your package as a gift with a lower price.If you’re buying a brand name items or a large quantity, you might have to pay them anyway.

if your package weighs more than 10kg,you can request them to package your items into several small parcels,this will increase the chance of Customs clearance.

Insurance fee

They charge a certain percentage of the total price as the insurance fee.

Total price=Items fee + Domestic shipping fee + International delivery fee + Service fee + Customs fee

To take insurance, the insured value should be declared, which increases the value of the item at your local customs.

7 Popular Taobao Agent Pricing Comparison Table

Taobao Agent Service Fee Transaction Fee Exchange Rate Others
Basetao 5%-0%
  • Giropay fee: 3.3% + 0.35 €
  • POLi fee: 2.75% + 0.5 AUD
  • iDEAL fee: 2% + 0.7 €
  • Paypal: unknown
  • eNets:SGD fee: 3.2% + 1.8 SGD
  • Bancontact fee: 2.2% + 0.45 €
  • 1 Euro= 7.52RMB
  • 1 USD = 6.45 RMB
  • Insurance fee: 2% of total cost(optional)
  • QC picture: Free
Bhiner
  • 6 RMB + 5% of (Item(s) total price + Domestic Shipping Fee)
  • higher VIP level will enjoy lower % agent fee, as low as 2%
  • the minimum service fee is 21RMB
  • Paypal:4% + 0.3USD
  • Bank transfer: unknown
  • Western Union: unknown
  • Transferwise: unknown
  • Bitcoin / ALT coins:2% + 0USD
1 USD = 6.67 RMB QC picture: Free
Cssbuy 6%-3%
  • PayPal fee: 3% + 0.3 USD
  • Creditcard fee: 3.8%+0.3
  • Alipay fee: 1%
  • Wechatpay fee: 1.5%
  • bitcoin fee: 1%
1 USD = 6.850 RMB
  • QC picture: 1.5 RMB per item
  • MEASURE SIZE: 4RMB per item
Superbuy
  • no service fee for taobao order
  • expert service fee :10%
  • Paypal: 2.9% + US $0.3
  • Credit Card: 2.9% + US $0.3
  • Giropay: 2.9% + US $0.3
1 USD = 6.58 RMB
  • Rehearsal packaging: 20 yuan per parcel
  • QC picture: 5 RMB per item
Taobaofocus 10%
  • No transaction fee
1 USD = 6.54 RMB
  • The domestic delivery fee is 15 RMB per seller.
  • No Picture Preview Fees
Taobaotrends
  • 6% Service Fees
  • The minimum service fee is RMB35
  • PayPal fee: 4%
  • Credit card fee: 4%
1 USD = 6.54 RMB No Picture Preview Fees
Ytaopal 0%
  • Credit/Debit Card: 4.4%+0.3
  • bitcoin fee: 1.5%
  • iDEAL fee: 3.3% + 0.35 €
  • Paypal : unknown
1 USD = 6.60 RMB
  • No Picture Preview Fees
  • Insurance fee: 5% of total cost(optional)

Wrapping Up

If you are just starting out and are on a budget, it is important to find cheap taobao agent to get you started before using taobao direct.

When looking for a cheap taobao agent, you should look beyond their listed service fee. Consider shipping fee, conversion loss, transaction fee and other extras that it might occur.

Do let me know which taobao agent you are using?

Have you used any of the taobao agent I mentioned above?

Share your experience with such taobao agents.

Follow Me On My Social Media.!

I am very active on various social media outlets as well as this blog. So social media is a much faster and more effective channel to communicate with me compared to comments section of this blog.

I also update my social media with the latest Taobao and 1688 articles, tips, rule changes, latest promotions, etc.

If you’re serious about buying from China, you can’t miss my social media.

Here are the social media accounts that I hold:

It only takes a few seconds to follow me, but one of my updates there may solve your problems and save you a huge amount of time and money!!

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